440 Transactions. 



dinal range of the species. Taking the North Island first, the 

 portion between the North Cape and the Upper Waikato has 

 probably been more closely examined for plants than any other 

 part of the colony, and tolerably complete catalogues of the 

 species found in various subdivisions have been prepared. But, 

 even within that area, several districts arc imperfectly known — 

 as, for instance, the rugged forest-clad country between Ahipara 

 and Hokianga, and that between Hokianga and the Northern 

 Wairoa, the latter district including the highest peaks north of 

 Auckland. South of the Waikato, the elevated central plateau 

 of the North Island, upon which stand the snow-clad niountain 

 Ruapehu and its neighbours Ngauruhoe and Tongariro, has 

 never been systematically explored, although several botanisrs 

 have collected in a cursory manner thereon. Considering its 

 position, and its peculiarities of soil and climate, which have left 

 a marked impress on the flora, it is probable that a reliable cata- 

 logue of its plants would be more useful to the New Zealand 

 botanist than any other. It is still more remarkable that no 

 complete account of the vegetation of Mount Egmont has yet 

 been prepared, for that issued many years ago by Mr. Buchanan 

 can only be looked upon as a preliminary sketch. The moun- 

 tain is now so accessible to the traveller, and so easily ascended, 

 that it is to be hoped that some Taranaki botanist will under- 

 take its investigation. The Tararua Range, which probably 

 has the most varied alpine vegetation of any mountain-chain in 

 the North Island, has barely been examined at all. Finally, it 

 can hardly be considered satisfactory that Mr. Buchanan's sketch 

 of the flora of Wellington, prepared more than thirty years ago, 

 and admittedly incomplete at that time, should still be the only 

 list of the plants of the southern portion of the North Island, 

 including the vicinity of the capital of the colony. 



In the South Island the eastern side is fairly well explored, 

 although much remains to be done in certain districts, such as 

 the neighbourhood of Mount Stokes, the Kaikoura Mountains, 

 and the extreme south-east of Otago ; but the central chain oi 

 the Southern Alps is still imperfectly explored, and on the western 

 side of the Island large portions have not been examined at all — 

 in fact, it can be roundly stated that the whole district from 

 Cape Farewell to Preservation Inlet requires a careful scrutiny. 

 The western slopes of the chain of mountains stretching from 

 Collingwood to Mount Arthur and Mount Owen offer a promising 

 field for exploration. Nearer to Westport, the recent researches 

 of Mr. Townson have shown what can be done by a diligent 

 local observer. To the south of Gieymouth little systematic 

 work has been accomplished, especially on the mountains ; 

 while as regards the West Coast Sounds and the mountains 



